COSTA CRUISES PRESENTS 'SEA & LAND WONDER PLATFORM', THE EVOLUTION OF EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL

COSTA CRUISES PRESENTS "SEA & LAND WONDER PLATFORM", THE EVOLUTION OF EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL

On the second edition of the Costa Global Summit, the company outlined its strategy and main innovations for 2026, focused on the transformation of travel, including experientiality, personalization, innovation and sustainability.

After the success of the first edition in Milan, the company chooses Barcelona for this second appointment, confirming its desire to make each edition unique and memorable.

Genoa, 15 December 2025 - The second edition of the Costa Global Summit took place yesterday at the Centennial Pavilion of the Fira Montjuic in Barcelona. The event welcomed over 2,500 participants including important partners, travel agents and special guests from all over the world. In the presence of President Mario Zanetti and the company's Top Management, as well as a large representation of employees from the Customer Hub in Barcelona, Costa presented the news for 2026 and confirmed its role as a leader in the future of experiential tourism.

Three strategic pillars of the Sea & Land Wonder Platform guided the story of Costa's strategy during the evening, broken down as follows: itineraries, with exclusive destinations, to discover iconic places in new ways; food, with exceptional gastronomy that transforms cuisine into an unforgettable sensory journey and fleet, with innovative and sustainable solutions to make each ship the perfect place to experience wonder.

The Summit opened with a video message from Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc, who highlighted Costa's role within the world's largest cruise line and one of the leading companies in the leisure travel industry. With a combined fleet of over 90 ships, which make 22,000 calls in more than 800 ports, Carnival Corporation &plc represents 40% of the global cruise market, for a total of almost 13.5 million guests welcomed each year thanks to the work of about 160,000 employees. In this context, Costa is characterized by distinctive "Sea and Land" itineraries: an innovative way of discovering destinations, which combines experiences in different destinations with immersive moments on board. For over 75 years, Costa has been a pioneer in transforming cruising into the ideal holiday. Costa is also a key player in the global journey towards sustainability, with milestones such as the first LNG-powered ships, the industry's first program for the donation of surplus food and the energy optimization of ships through artificial intelligence. Costa continues the path of innovation along the route towards the future of cruise tourism with cruises that celebrate wonder in all its forms, creating memories that are destined to last a long time.

After the welcome greetings, Karen Lellouche, Managing Director & Senior Partner of Boston Consulting Group (BCG) presented a study on the tourism market, with the latest trends and customer insights on travel behaviors, industry opportunities and the new way of choosing and experiencing holidays, a clear picture of the context, with data, expectations of quality and desire for meaningful experiences.

Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises, outlined the company's vision by showing not only how it anticipates trends, but represents the "perfect match" of the trends identified by the research, and is the perfect response to the new needs of travelers, for whom travel is connection, discovery and personal expression. Costa revolutionizes the concept of cruising by becoming an Experience Platform: exclusive itineraries, which combine the wonder of the sea with the authentic discovery of the land, creating a model that focuses on emotion, personalization, innovation and sustainability.

"For almost 78 years, change and the ability to anticipate the future have been part of our DNA. Today the challenge is to continue to create memorable travel experiences, which connect sea and land in a unique offer in the tourism landscape - said Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises - Costa Cruises today is a flexible and adaptive experience platform, capable of creating the right product for each audience based on the season, destination and desires of each guest. This approach intercepts the new generations: Millennials, who have grown by three percentage points in the last three years, choose Costa for experiential itineraries in line with their interests and lifestyles; while mini-cruises are on the rise among GenZ, looking for micro-moments and highly personalized itineraries. Baby boomers and Gen X embrace the concept of longevity travel made up of more time, well-being and meaningful trips, preferring longer cruises. Thanks to investments in the fleet and product, and with the introduction of Sea & Land itineraries, we have expanded our offerings in the Eastern and Western Mediterranean and in the Norwegian fjords, recording a growth of about 9 percentage points year-on-year on the overall satisfaction index of our offer. Innovation and sustainability continue to guide every choice: from the solutions introduced on the Costa Smeralda to improve energy efficiency, to the use of technologies such as AI to further personalize each trip, even before booking. Our goal is to innovate with purpose, creating value for guests, partners and the communities that welcome us."

Francesco Muglia, Chief Commercial Officer & Senior VP, explains how this strategy starts from a key concept: reinventing the cruise holiday means putting navigation at the center, evolving the concept of travel between ports into an emotional experience that harmoniously connects sea and land, creating wonder, like a sunset in the open sea, a silent dawn, the night that envelops everything. From this idea comes the Sea & Land Wonder Platform, an integrated design of "Sea & Land" itineraries in which navigation becomes a multisensory experience thanks to iconic places in the middle of the sea where time stops and wonder takes shape, and a curation of experiences on land built to meet the different needs of our customers and make the territories live in an authentic and surprising way.

Francesco Muglia, Chief Commercial Officer, Senior VP Costa Cruises, declares: "We have reinvented the cruise holiday, transforming it into an emotional experience that connects sea and land, in an unprecedented way. Our Sea & Land Wonder Platform is a continuum of wonder that integrates itineraries, gastronomy and fleet, building the perfect connection between what happens on board and what happens on land. The Sea & Land itineraries are at the heart of this philosophy, with iconic moments in the middle of the sea and authentic experiences in the destinations, designed to make the journey live in a unique and surprising way."

The event continued with the presentation of the main innovations of 2026 in terms of itineraries - one of the most concrete expressions of the Sea & Land Wonder Platform - with a proposal full of surprising journeys: exclusive itineraries, a new collection of Sea & Land Destinations and special cruises, to celebrate wonder through connection with the environment.

Next summer, Costa Pacifica will offer an iconic experience in the Western Mediterranean, an exciting Sea Destination in the bay of Golfo Aranci, where for the very first time guests will be able to disembark at sunset directly from the roadstead and reach the crystal clear waters of Tavolara island aboard an elegant boat for an unforgettable swim.

Also with Costa Pacifica, one of the most eagerly awaited moments will be the special cruise dedicated to the solar eclipse scheduled for mid-August, an extraordinary natural phenomenon celebrated with a spectacular marine destination in the middle of the Balearic Sea, where sky and sea will merge in a unique emotional event. And on land, the connection continues with equally iconic experiences such as a tour in the Mehari through the landscapes of Cassis or an unforgettable Vespa ride through its most evocative streets of Rome. An example of how, thanks to the exclusive Sea & Land itineraries, extraordinary natural events become the ideal stage to offer unrepeatable perspectives.

Costa Favolosa will be the protagonist in Northern Europe with a unique proposal that combines the two UNESCO World Heritage fjords, Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, and extraordinary land experiences, with Sea Destinations such as meditation at dawn in front of the Seven Sisters. In autumn, the Club Cruise, dedicated to members of Costa's loyalty programme, will extend the season in Northern Europe with the magical experience of the Northern Lights.

There will be exclusive itineraries in Asia with Costa Serena, in early summer and autumn, such as the circumnavigation of Japan with scenic moments in iconic bays and aperitifs at sunset, such as the one that is the backdrop to a new seaside destination, with the Sakurajima volcano on the horizon, an ice-cold Japanese beer in hand and freshly brewed gyoza.

In the Caribbean, with Costa Fascinosa and Costa Pacifica, the company introduces new experiences that turn travel into an exclusive adventure. Among the novelties stands out Cabo Rojo, a true "destination within the destination", with a port designed for cruises and landscapes that blend jungle, desert, turquoise waters and ancient quarries, with the possibility of accessing the most exclusive beach of Bahía de Las Águilas. An unprecedented experience that continues with the inauguration of Samanà , which follows the same innovative concept, focused on experiences that redefine travel. The magic continues on the sea, with a sensational Sea Party in Catalina Bay where music, atmosphere and ocean come together to create unforgettable memories.

To complete the 2026 offer, in spring, a proposal for 3-4 day mini cruises in the Mediterranean, aboard Costa Fascinosa, designed for those who want to experience the wonder of Costa in a shorter format, without sacrificing the quality and intensity of the experience.

"The expansion of our portfolio with new itineraries is the clearest demonstration of our ability to create wonder with unique proposals in the tourism scene. We continue to introduce innovations that enrich the travel experience, with a range that ranges from mini-cruises of a few days to the Around the World of over 130 days. Unique proposals such as the Sea & Land itineraries transform each trip into a seamless journey of emotions, where the environment becomes an integral part of the experience. Unrepeatable events, such as the cruise dedicated to the solar eclipse or the magic of the Northern Lights, tell of our desire to enhance the beauty of the world and bring it into every moment of the cruise." - says Luigi Stefanelli, Vice President Worldwide Sales of Costa Cruises.

The event continues with the evolution of the gastronomic experience signed by chefs Ángel León, Bruno Barbieri and Hélène Darroze, who presented the new experience of the Archipelago restaurant. Born in 2021 as a symbol of innovation in the world of haute cuisine, Archipelago evolves and prepares to amaze once again. In the spring it will debut with an exclusive concept: for the first time in the world, the personalities of three starred chefs come together to create a single menu, inspired by the Sea & Land itineraries, offering an unprecedented taste experience that involves all the senses. Archipelago becomes a place where cuisine meets scenography: twelve scenes change for as many creations, with atmospheres designed to amplify the pleasure of an unprecedented journey of taste and transform dinner into a shared immersive moment.

The journey continues towards the beating heart of the Sea & Land platform, the fleet. Costa ships represent the core of the company's strategy and are designed to transform every moment on board into an experience of wonder. Since 2021, more than 200 million euros have been invested in a renovation plan that has already involved all units, with the aim of expanding the features of the most popular ships to make them available on the entire fleet, introducing innovative and sustainable solutions, which improve energy efficiency and enrich the experience, such as the new dining areas, the restyling of the suites and the redesigned outdoor spaces.

The absolute protagonist of this evolutionary path is Costa Serena, which after the recent refit in dry-dock debuts as a Pop ship, inspired by the world of the gods, maintains its identity but reinterprets it with a pop language, made up of bright colors, shapes and innovative materials. The atrium is transformed into a true "Temple of Light", no longer a simple point of passage but a stage of light and design. Among the new areas stand out the pizzeria Pummid'oro, dominated by a gigantic modern Atlas holding a tomato; and Sushino at Costa, where a golden mermaid watches over the restaurant, with its scales melting into the walls creating a unique scenic effect. To complete the experience, a secret Speakeasy, ready to surprise with mysterious atmospheres and signature cocktails.

Giuseppe Carino , Senior Vice President Sea-Land Experience Operations of Costa Cruises, says - As soon as the restyling of Costa Serena and Costa Smeralda has been completed, we continue to invest in the fleet, a pillar of the Sea and Land strategy. We are already planning refits on the Costa Toscana, Costa Favolosa and Costa Pacifica, with new concepts for cabins with balconies, to make each ship more and more in line with the wishes of guests and bring the Costa Experience to life".

In closing, Giovanna Loi, VP Marketing & Direct Sales of Costa Cruises, brings to the stage the brand strategy as a generator of demand and value, a continuous investment in creativity and innovation to bring people to where wonder happens. The Wonder Platform comes to life in a mash-up of campaigns from different countries, demonstrating how a global idea can be transformed into local emotion and win prizes and recognition. Then the gaze opens to the new digital scenario, where Costa becomes a protagonist in the world of AI search, in the video ecosystem and in native social networks, with a simple narrative that is close to people. Finally, the journey enters the heart of technology with an AI-driven, data-driven and partner-driven approach that, thanks to CDP (Customer Data Platform), omnichannel journey and personalization, transforms data into concrete experiences and conversions.

"Inspire, be visible and personalize this is how Costa redefines communication with the customer. We show the Wonder Platform in action with creativity that excites, we conquer space in new digital scenarios - from AI search to native social media - and we transform data into concrete experiences thanks to technology and personalization. An innovative approach that generates demand, value and wonder." - concludes Giovanna Loi, VP Marketing & Direct Sales of Costa Cruises.

The Costa Global Summit 2026 was presented by Manel Fuentes, a well-known Spanish television presenter and journalist, who took the audience on a journey through innovation and wonder.

The event finally ended with a dreamlike show of contemporary dance and circus art signed by the SALT company, inspired by the theme Sea and Land Wonder Experience. A finale that transforms the stage into a universe of emotions, celebrating Costa's ability to amaze and involve.

Per Ulteriori Informazioni:

Costa Crociere Press Office

Vanessa Saverino, Head of Media Relations | mob. +39 340 8665308 | [email protected] | www.costapresscenter.com

APCO

Elena Soccal | mob. +39 342 796 4375

Matilda Lach | mob. +39 388 9044804

[email protected]

Kaleidoscope powered 2_0